Polymers of acryloxyacyl chlorides and use thereof

ABSTRACT

ACRYLOXYACYL CHLORIDES OF THE STRUCTURE-   CH2=C(-R)-COO-ALK-CO-CL   WHEREIN R IS H OR CH3 AND ALK IS A BIVALENT HYDROCARBON RADIAL CONTAINING 1 TO 21 CARBON ATOMS. THESE COMPOUNDS MAY BE HOMOPOLYMERIZED OR COPOLYMERIZED WITH A DIFFERENT POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER (E.G., A LOWER ALKYL ACRYLATE OR METHACRYLATE). THE POLYMERS ARE USEFUL FOR APPLICATION TO FIBROUS MATERIALS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO WOOL TO MAKE IT SHRINK RESISTANT.

United States Patent Ofice 3,681,314 Patented Aug. 1, 1972 US. Cl. 260-895 H 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acryloxyacyl chlorides of the structure wherein R is H or H, and Alk is a bivalent hydrocarbon radial containing '1 to 21 carbon atoms. These compounds may be homopolymerized or copolymerized with a different polymerizable monomer (e.g., a lower alkyl acrylate or methacrylate). The polymers are useful for application to fibrous materials, for example, to wool to make it shrink resistant.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 21,499, filed Mar. 20, 1970.

A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein.- described, throughout the world for all purposes of the United States Government, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, it is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America.

This invention relates to and has among its objects the provision of new organic compounds, namely, acryloxyacyl chlorides, in both monomeric and polymeric form. The objects of the invention also include methods for synthesizing these compounds, procedures for treating fibrous materials with the compounds, and the treated materials 'as new articles of manufacture. Further objects of the invention will be evident from the following description wherein parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

THE MOINQMERS The novel acryloxyacyl chlorides of the invention have the structure wherein R is H or CH and Alk is a bivalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group, saturated or containing ethylenic unsaturation, straight chain or branched, which contains 1 to 21, preferably 9 to 21, carbon atoms.

Examples of individual compounds encompassed by the invention are provided below by way of illustration and not limitation:

OsHn

PREPARATION OF THE NEW COMIP O UNDS In the synthesis of the compounds of the invention a hydroxyaliphatic acid is reacted with acryloyl (or methacryloyl) chloride to produce the corresponding acryloxyaliphatic (or methacryloxyaliphatic)acid. To prevent polymerization, the reaction is carried out in the presence of a small proportion of a polymerization inhibitor such as copper resinate, a commercial product which is an oilsoluble copper salt made by heating copper sulphate with rosin oil. In a second step, the acryloxyaliphatic acid is reacted with oxalyl chloride or thionyl chloride to produce the acryloxyacyl chloride. The following formulas demonstrate the synthesis as applied, by way of example. to the preparation of 12-acryloxystearoyl chloride.

- H(OH2)1o-COOH l CHFCHOO C1 As the starting material for the synthesis one can use various hydroxyaliphatic acids as for example: glycolic, 3-hydroxypropionic, 4-hydroxybutyric, 6-hydroxycaproic, S-hydroxycaprylic, lo-hydroxycapric, 12-hydroxyla1uric, IO-hydroxycapric, 12-hydroxyl'auric, 14-hydroxymyristic, ll6-hydroxypalmitic, 9-, 10-, 11-, 12-, or 18-hydroxystearic, 14-hydroxybehenic, ricinoleic, lesquerolic, and other hydroxyaliphatic acids responding to the formula HO-AlkCOOH wherein Alk is as above defined.

PREPARATION OF POLYMERS The acryloxyacyl chlorides of the invention may be employed to prepare useful polymers, including both homeand copolymers. The homopolymers and copolymers are prepared by conventional polymerization techniques used with other acrylates and methacrylates. Typical, the polymerization is carried out in solution. The acryloxyacyl chloride (with or without an additional co-monomer) is dissolved in an inert solvent (such as benzene, toluene, xylene, ethyl acetate, dimethylformamide, etc.), a polymerization initiator is added, and the solution heated at about 50-125 C., preferably under a blanket of nitrogen, helium, or other non-oxidizing gas. The polymerization is preferably catalyzed by the use of an azo initiator such as azodiisobutyronitrile. Peroxide catalysts may also be used, for example, benzoyl peroxide, acetyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide, etc. The polymerization products range from viscous liquids to semi-solid or even solid materials. They are soluble in solvents such as benzene, toluene, xylene, carbon tetrachloride, etc. A critical attribute of the polymers is that they contain pendant acid chloride (-COCl) groups which provide important advantages as explained below.

In the processing of textiles it is often desirable to modify the properties of the fiber, for example, to improve their shrinkage characteristics. Various procedures have been advocated for such purposes and they usually involve treatment of the textile with a polymer. A common fault of many of these procedures is that the modification has but a temporary effect as the applied substance is removed from the fibers when they are subjected to laundering or dry cleaning.

In accordance with the invention, textile materials are treated with polymers which react with the textile materials so that the modification achieved is deep-seated and durable. In other words, the invention yields the advantage that the polymer applied to the fibers is not just a physical coating but is chemically bonded or grafted to the fibers. The polymers in accordance with the invention contain pendant acid chloride groups and when the polymers are applied to the substrate, these acid chloride groups react with those radicals of the textile substrate which have active hydrogen atoms. Such radicals may also be termed hydrogen-donor radicals and include such types of functions as hydroxyl, primary or secondary amine, primary amide, thiol, carboxyl, etc. Virtually all fibrous materials, both natural and synthetic, contain one or more of such types of hydrogen-donor radicals.

The polymers of the invention include not only homopolymers of the above-described monomers, but also copolymers of the acryloxyacyl chlorides with an additional monomer which does not contain an acid halide group. Generically, the co-monomer may be any compound which is copolymerizable with the acryloxyacyl chloride, which contains at least a single CH=C grouping, and which is free from a hydrogen atom reactive with an acid chloride grouping. In general, copolymers are preferred in the treatment of textile materials because they exert a minimum stiffening elfect on the substrate. Examples of monomeric substances which may be copolymerized with acryloxyacyl chlorides to produce copolymers for use in practicing the invention are set forth below by way of illustration but not limitation:

Alkyl esters of acrylic acid and alkyl esters of any of the various u-alkylacrylic or u-haloacrylic acids, e.g., the methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl amyl, hexyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, octadecyl, cyclohexyl, oleyl, etc., esters of acrylic, methacrylic, ethacrylic, propacrylic, chloracrylic, bromoacrylic, etc. acids.

Aryl and aralkyl esters of acrylic acid or the a-substituted acrylic acids, e.g., phenyl, o-, m-, p-tolyl, dodecylphenyl, benzyl, phenylethyl, etc., esters of acrylic, methacrylic, ethacrylic, propacrylic, chloroacrylic, bromoacrylic, etc. acids.

Alkyl acrylates or methacrylates containing an oxygen bridge, typically methoxyethyl acrylate, ethoxyethyl acrylate, propoxyethyl acrylate, butoxyethyl acrylate, octoxyethyl acrylate, cyclohexoxyethyl acrylate, benzoxyethyl acrylate, phenoxyethyl acrylate, methoxyethyl methacrylate, phenoxyethyl methacrylate, etc.

Acrylates containing such radicals as thioether, sulphone, or sulphoxide, for example, the esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with alcohols of the types:

wherein R is an alkyl radical such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, etc., or an aryl or alakyl radical such as phenyl, tolyl, benzyl, phenylethyl, etc.

Vinyl esters of fatty acids, e.g., vinyl acetate, propionate, buytrate, valerate, caprylate, caprate, laurate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, oleate, etc.

Allyl and methallyl esters of fatty acids, e.g., allyl and methallyl acetates, propionates, butyrates, valerates, caprylates, caprates, laurates, myristates, palmitates, stearates, oleates, etc.

N-dialkyl acrylamides and N-dialkyl cat-substituted acrylamides, for example, N-dimethyl, N-diethyl, N-dipropyl, N-dibutyl, N-diamyl, N-dihexyl, N-dioctyl, N-didodecyl, etc., acrylamides, methacrylamides, ethacrylamides, propacrylamides, etc.

Hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons such as styrene, a-methylstyrene, dimethylstyrenes, vinyl naphthalenes, dichlorostyrenes, vinyl chloride, vinyl bromide, vinylidene chloride, vinylidene bromide.

Ketones such as methyl vinyl ketone, ethyl vinyl ketone, isopropyl vinyl ketone and other alkyl vinyl ketones, methyl isopropenyl ketone, methyl allyl ketone.

Itaconic diesters, for example, the dimethyl, diethyl, diisopropyl, dibutyl, dihexyl, didodecyl and other dialkyl esters of itaconic acids. Diary] and diaralkyl esters of itaconic acid, e.g., diphenyl itaconate, dibenzyl itaconate, di- (phenylethyl) itaconate, etc.

Other compounds containing the typical CH ==C grouping such as cyanostyrenes, vinyl thiophenes, vinyl pyridine, vinyl pyrrole, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, alkyl vinyl sulphones such as ethyl vinyl sulphone. Compounds of the types:

wherein R is H or CH and wherein R is a lower alkyl group such as CH C H etc.

Although it is generally preferred to copolymerize the acryloxyacyl chloride with an individual monomer such as those exemplified above, it is within the purview of the invention to use mixtures of two or more monomers. Indeed, it is helpful in some instances to use a highly polymerizable compound such as acrylonitrile in conjunction with a monomer of lesser activity such as vinyl acetate, to promote conjoint copolymerization with the acryloxyacyl chloride. v

In preparing the copolymers of the invention, the proportions of acryloxyacyl chloride and the other monomer may be varied widely. In general, one uses one mole of acryloxyacyl chloride in conjunction with about 1 to 30 moles of the other monomer.

APPLICATION OF THE POLYMER TO THE TEXTILE The polymers of the invention may be applied to the textile in various ways. One technique involves applying the polymer as such to the textile, using heating to make the polymer flow and distributing it with calender rolls or the like. Generally, this technique is not a preferred one because it causes a stiffening of the textile and is thus suitable only in instances where such stiffening e'lfect is desirable or tolerable. A preferred technique involves dissolving the polymer in an inert, volatile solvent and applying the resulting solution to the textile material. Typical of the solvents which may be used are benzene, toluene, xylene, dioxane, diisopropyl ether, dibutyl ether, butyl acetate, chlorinated hydrocarbons such as chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene dichloride, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, 1,3-dichlorobeuzene, fluorohydrocarbons such as benzotrifluoride, 1,3-bis-(trifiuoromethyl) benzene, etc., petroleum distillates such as petroleum naphthas, etc. The concentration of the polymer in the solution is not critical and may be varied depending on such circumstances as the solubility of the polymer in the selected solvent, the amount of polymer to be deposited on the fibers, the viscosity of the solution, etc. In general, a practical range of concentration would be from about 1% to about 25%. The solution may be distributed on the textile material by any of the usual methods, for example, by spraying, brushing, padding, dipping etc. A preferred technique involves immersing the textile in the solution and then passing it through squeeze rolls to remove the excess of liquid. Such techniques as blowing air through the treated textile may be employed to reduce the amount of liquid which exists in interstices between fibrous elements. In any case, the conditions of application are so adjusted that the textile material contains the proportion of polymer desired. Usually, the amount of polymer is about from 0.5 to 20%, based on the weight of the textile material but it is obvious that higher proportions of polymer may be used for special purposes. Preferably, in treating textiles such as fabrics the amount of polymer is limited to a range of about 0.5 to 10% to attain the desired end such as shrink resistance without interference with the hand of the textile.

After application of the polymer the treated textile is cured (heated) to effect reaction between the textile material and the polymer, thus to bond the polymer to the fibers. In cases where the polymer is applied as a. dispersionthat is, a solution, emulsion, or suspension-the solvent or other volatile dispersing medium is preferably evaporated prior to the curing operation. Such prior evaporation is uot a critical step and the evaporation may be simply effected as part of the curing step. The temperature applied in the curing step is not critical and usually is within the range from about 50 C. to about 150 C. It is obvious thatthe time required for the curing will vary with such factors as the reactivity of the selected polymer, the type of textile material, and particularly the temperature so that a lower curing temperature will require a longer curing time and vice versa. It will be further obvious to those skilled in the art that in any particular case the temperature of curing should not be so high as to cause degradation of the textile or the polymer. In many cases an adequate cure is effected by heating the treated textile in an oven at about 100 C. for about 5 to 60 minutes.

Although the present invention is of particular advantage in its application to wool, this is by no means the only type of fiber which comes into the ambit of the invention. Generically, the invention is applicable to the treatment of any hydrogen-donor textile material and this material may be in any physical form, e.g., bulk fibers, filaments, yarns, threads, slivers, roving, top, webbing, cord, tapes woven or knitted fabrics, felts or other nonwoven fabrics, garments or garment parts. Illustrative examples of hydrogen-donor textile materials are: polysaccharide-containing textiles, for instance, those formed of or containing cellulose or regenerated celluloses, e.g., cotton, linen, hemp, jute, ramie, sisal, cellulose acetate rayons, cellulose acetate-butyrate rayons, saponified acetate rayons, viscose rayons, cuprammonium rayons, ethyl cellulose, fibers prepared from amylose, algins, or pectins; mixtures of two or more of such p0lysaccharide-containing textiles; protein-containing textiles, for instance, those formed of or containing wool, silk, animal hair, mohair, leather, fur, regenerated protein fibers such as those prepared from casein, soybeans, peanut protein, zein, gluten, egg albumin, collagen, or keratins, such as feathers, animal hoof or horn; mixtures of any two or more of said protein-containing textiles; mixtures of polysaccharide-containing textiles and protein-containing textiles, e.g., blends of wool and cotton, wool and viscose, etc.; textiles formed of or containing synthetic resins having hydroxy groups in the molecule, e.g., alkyd resins containing hydroxyl groups, polyvinyl alcohol, and partially esterified or partially etherified polyvinyl alcohols; synthetic silk, e.g., nylon, polyurethanes, etc.; mixtures of nylon or other synthetic silk with a polysaccharide or protein fiber; mixtures of synthetic resins containing hydroxyl groups with nylon, polyurethanes, polysaccharide, or protein fibers. By applying the invention to textiles, such as those exemplified herein, desirable results are attained. These include: Increasing the resistance of the textile to shrinking or felting when subjected to washing operations; increasing the resistance of the textile to becoming soiled in use; decreasing the tendency of the textile to becoming creased or wrinkled during wear or during washing and drying operations; etc. Moreover, these desirable effects are attained without impairing such desirable fiber characteristics or tensile strength, abrasion resistance, porosity, and the hand of the material so that the textiles modified in accordance with the invention may be used in fabricating garments or other conventional structures of any kind. The invention may be applied to textiles which contain absorbed or combined water or which have a thin film of water adsorbed on the surface, e.g., glass fibers, asbestos, etc. In such cases the water reacts with the polymer and insolubilizes the latter in situ. It is within the broad compass of the invention, moreover, to apply the polymers to fibrous materials which do not have hydrogen donor groups. In such case the polymer will exist as a coating on the fibrous elements.

EXAMPLES The invention is further demonstrated by the following illustrative examples.

The various tests referred to in the examples were carried out as follows:

Accelerator shrinkage test: The fabric samples (5" x 6") were milled at 1780 r.p.m. for 2 minutes at 40 C. in an Accelerator with 1% sodium oleate solution, using a liquorto-fabric ratio of about 50 to 1. After this washing operation, the samples were measured to determine their area and the shrinkage calculated from the original area. The Accelerator is described in the American Dyestuif Reporter 45, p. 685, Sept. 10, 1956. This is a very severe test which applied to untreated wool samples gives an area shrinkage of 40-50%.

Washing machine shrinkage test: The samples were washed in a reversing agitator-type household washing machine, using a 3-lb. load, water temperature of F., and a low-sudsing detergent in a concentration of 0.1% in the wash liquor. The wash cycle itself was for 75 minutes followed by the usual rinses and spin drying. This entire sequence was repeated four times. The damp material is then tumble-dried in a household-type clothes drier. The dried samples were then measured and the shrinkage calculated from the original dimensions. When untreated samples of wool are given a single washing by this procedure, the area shrinkage is about 3040%.

Example 1.Preparation of 12-acryloxystearoyl chloride (A) One hundred grams of l2-hydroxystearic acid and 1.0 gram of copper resinate were mixed at room temperature in a Pyrex glass reactor fitted with a stirrer, thermometer, reflux condenser and drying tube, nitrogen inlet, dropping funnel, and heating bath. After sweeping out the system with nitrogen gas, 102 grams of acryloyl chloride was added dropwise during 10 minutes, and then refluxed at 65 C. for 4 hours. The excess acryloyl chloride was removed by distillation at reduced pressure to yield 149 grams crude, gummy 12-acryloxystearic acid.

(B) The 149 grams of 12-acryloxystearic acid was dissolved in 250 ml. of benzene in the same apparatus as above and blanketing the system with nitrogen gas as before. One hundred and forty-eight grams oxalyl chloride was added at room temperature during 30 minutes,

Example 6.Copolymer of methyl acrylate and 10- acryloxydecanol chloride A solution containing 10 g. of methyl acrylate, 2 g. of IO-acryloxydecanol chloride, and 0.1 g. of azobisbutyro- 5 nitrile in 50 ml of toluene was heated under nitrogen and the solution then was heated at 45 C. for a roxio mately 1 hour and then stirred at room temperatur overatmosphefe at Feflux (112- for hoursUAfler coohng ht The Xc S 01 nt nd a1 1 chlord were I the resulting viscous solution was diluted with toluene or mg s W a X y 1 e perchloroethylene to provide 10 g. of copolymer per 100 moved dlstlnatlon at reduced pressure to y1e1d.117 m1 of solution This solution was then used to treat grams crude, gummy 12-acryloxystearoyl chloride. Distil- 10 fab'rics as descr'ibed below lation of the crude acid chloride using an Asco wiped film 0 molecular still at 20;. and 170 C. yielded 45 grams of Exampl 7---Pr p r 10n f v rious p lymer clear g z i i a 1311s was rledlstliled, to yleld 42 A series of polymers were prepared using the procedure 0 t i fht a c ear hqmd' described in Example 4 and varying the monomers and C i g l g 15 the ratio thereof, as tabulated below. A homopolymer of Oun (pemeno' n-butyl acrylate was also prepared for comparative pur- 65.9; H, 9.82; Cl, 11.9. poses.

Ratio of monomer 1 Monomer to monomer 2 Polymer Weight Molar code No. 1 2 basis basis I n-Butyl acrylate 12-acryloxystearoyl 5/1 14. 5/1

chloride. II d0 ..-.....do 10/1 29/1 III .do IO-acryloxydecanoyl 5/1 10/1 chloride. IV do 12-aeryloxyoleoy1 5/1 14.5/1

chloride. V Methyl acrylate IO-acryloxydecanoyl 5/1 15/1 chloride. VI Methyl methacrylate .do 5/1 13/1 H n-Butyl acrylate None Homopolymer Example 2.--Preparation of 10-acryloxydecanol Example 8.-Treatment of fabrics chlonde Samples of wool fabric (6.4 oz./yd. undyed plain The procedure described in Example 1 was applied to weave, 32 ends and 28 picks per inch) were treated with the following materials: 35 solutions of the polymers diluted (with benzene or per- In Step A, 10 grams of IO-hydroxydecanoic acid, 14.2 chloroethylene) to 10% polymer concentration, using the g. of acryloyl chloride, and 100 mg. of copper resinate following technique. Aweighed fabric sample is immersed were used. The crude intermediate, 10-acryloxydecanoic in the polymer solution, then removed and pressed beacid, obtained in a yield of 17 g. was applied to Step B tween pad rolls to remove excess liquid, dried in air, and with 50 ml. of benzene and 10 g. of oxalyl chloride. Rethen cured in an oven at 150 C. for 10 minutes. The distillation of the crude product yielded 8.5 g. of 10- sample is then weighed to determine the polymer uptake, acryloxydecanoyl chloride as a clear liquid. and the sample is tested for shrinkage by the Accelerator test method and/or by the washing machine test. Samples Example of lz'acryloxyoleoyl chlonde of the untreated fabric were also subjected to these tests.

(CHMOH The results are tabuIated below:

5 CH2=CHG o-0- H-OHZ-CH=CH(CH2)1C 0 01 Area shnnkase. Percent The procedure described in Example 1 was applied to U t k I e li i rig the following materials: P 9 A l t 5- In Step A, 189 grams of ricmolerc acid and 115 grams o in rggii Gee ie i bei e?) of acryloyl chloride were used. The crude intermediate, Polymer applied: 12-acryloxyoleic acid, obtained in a yield of 207 g. was I 8.3 applied to Step B with 280 ml. of benzene and 159 g. of oxalyl chloride. Redistillation of the crude product yielded 7. 4 72 g. of 12-acryloxyoleoyl chloride. 3;; 9.8 Example 4.-Copolymer of 12-acryloxystearic acid ggggl wg galg and n-butyl acrylate 0 The fabric treated with polymer I (the 5/1 copolymer A Solutlon conlallllng ll-blltyl Yl f of n-butyl acrylate and 12-acryloxystearoyl chloride) and 'Y! Y Y chlorlde and aloblslsoPutyl'o' the untreated fabric were subjected to other tests. The mtrile in 500 ml. toluene was heated under nitrogen results are given b l atmosphere at reflux (112 C.) for 2 hours. After cool- T d ing, the resulting viscous copolymer solution was diluted T t i mate with toluene or perchloroethylene to provide 10 g. of coes D rectum fabric fabric polymer per 100 ml. of solution. This solution was then B kl w 15 used to treat fabrics as described below. n rgg Fill 16:3 1213 Example 5.-Homopolymer of 12-acryloxystearoyl ivfi i f iiIg chlonde Monsanto wrinkle Warp 156 156 A 1 {3 12 1 t l m d d 7 Recovery, degree Fill 158 152 so ution o g. o -acry oxys earoy c on e an mg. of azobisbutyronitrile in 15 ml. of benzene was gtffitfitfi fggsg 3:3333; ffi? :jjj ll; 3; refluxed for 2 hours under a blanket of nitrogen gas, Air permeabimyJw/m/mm 152 m7 yielding a viscous solution of the homopolymer in benzene.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 4. The homopolymer of claim 1 wherein Alk is 1 A dd't' h l f 1 l hl (CHM-CH:

n a non omopo ymer 0 an acry oxyacy c oride of the structure- 1)1- I j]; 5 References Cited h H 2; 'g": 1 h UNITED STATES PATENTS W mm 18 or an 2,726,230 12/1955 Carlson 26086.1 R

hydrocarbon radical containing 1 to 21 carbon atoms, said polymer being useful for modifying fibrous materials 1 and having the ability to chemically bond to hydrogen HARRY WONG JR Primary Examiner donor substrates.

3,607,847 9/1971 Troussier et al. 260--486 H 2. The homopolymer of claim 1 wherein Alk is us. CL

15 s s5; 117-124, 126, 138.8, 140, 141, 142, 14s; fL-(CHWT' 260-304, 31.2, 33.2, 33.6, 33.8, 47, 63, 78.5, 79.3, 3. The homopolymer of claim 1 wherein Alk is 79.7, 85.5 ES, 86.1 E, 86.1 R, 86.3, 86.7, 486 H, 884 

